Mission Beyond Darkness

THE concluding phase of the First Battle of the Philippines occurred on June 19, 1944. Late that afternoon, United States Navy planes from Task Force 58 attacked a Japanese fleet. They sank one carrier and four tankers, probably sank another carrier, another tanker and a destroyer, and damaged several other ships. Our losses were ninety-six planes and forty-nine men.
Vice-Admiral Marc A. Mitscher, Commander of Task Force 58, gave the order that launched the attack. The planes that delivere...